Pelargonium plant named ‘PEQZ0096’

ABSTRACT

A new Pelargonium plant named ‘PEQZ0096’ particularly distinguished by red-purple colored inflorescences with large semi-double florets, held above dark green foliage, on an upright plant.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Pelargonium interspecific.

Varietal denomination: ‘PEQZ0096’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new Pelargonium, botanically known as Pelargonium interspecific, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘PEQZ0096’.

‘PEQZ0096’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar ‘PEQZ0096’ has red-purple colored inflorescences with large semi-double florets, held above dark green foliage with strong zonation, on a vigorous upright, mounding plant.

‘PEQZ0096’ originates from a hybridization in a controlled breeding program made in July 2015, in a greenhouse in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands. The female parent was an unpatented plant of P. x hortorum parentage identified as ‘PEZ-AZ3272-01V’ with red florets, when compared to ‘PEQZ0096’.

The male parent of ‘PEQZ0096’ was an unpatented, proprietary plant of P. x interspecific parentage, identified as ‘10301-1V’ with lighter green foliage and purple florets when compared to ‘PEQZ0096’. The resultant seed was sown in December 2015.

‘PEQZ0096’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in May 2016 in a greenhouse in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘PEQZ0096’ was accomplished when vegetative stem cuttings were propagated from the initial selection in June 2016 in a greenhouse in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plant initiated in July 2016 in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘PEQZ0096’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

‘PEQZ0096’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length.

A Plant Breeder's Right for this cultivar has not yet been applied for. ‘PEQZ0096’ has not been made publicly available prior to the effective filing date of this application, notwithstanding any disclosure that may have been made less than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application by the inventor or another who obtained ‘PEQZ0096’ directly from the inventor.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the basic characteristics of the new variety. The combination of these characteristics distinguishes this Pelargonium as a new and distinct variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographic drawing shows typical flower and foliage characteristics of ‘PEQZ0096’ with colors being as true as possible with an illustration of this type.

The photographic drawings show in FIG. 1 , one flowering plants of the new variety and in

FIG. 2 , a close-up of an inflorescence.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The plant descriptions and measurements were taken in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands in early June 2022 under natural light. These plants were approximately 16 weeks old and were grown in a 12 cm pots, in a greenhouse trial. The plants shown in the photographs were about 16 weeks old growing in a 12 cm pot in a greenhouse. The photographs were taken in April 2021.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (RHS) 2001.

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY ‘PEQZ0096’ AND A MOST SIMILAR VARIETY ‘PEQZ0093’, U.S. application Ser. No. ‘PEQZ0096’ 17/939,235 Color of pollen: RHS N172A RHS 31A Anther color: RHS 51B RHS 180D Ovary color: RHS 187A RHS 144A

-   Plant:     -   -   Form, growth and habit.—Upright growth habit.         -   Plant height.—16-21 cm.         -   Plant height (inflorescence included).—25-30 cm.         -   Plant width.—22-27 cm. -   Roots:     -   -   Number of days to initiate roots.—15-18 days at about 22             degrees C.         -   Number of days to produce a rooted cutting.—21-23 days at 22             degrees C.         -   Type.—Fine, fibrous, free branching.         -   Color.—RHS N155B but whiter. -   Foliage:     -   -   Variegation.—Absent.         -   Immature leaf, color upper surface.—Closest to RHS 137B.         -   Immature leaf, lower surface.—Closest to RHS 138B.         -   Mature leaf, color upper surface.—Closest to RHS 137A.         -   Mature leaf, color lower surface.—Closest to RHS 138B.         -   Length.—7-7.5 cm.         -   Width.—7.5-9 cm.         -   Shape.—Cordate.         -   Base shape.—Cordate.         -   Sinus of mature leaf.—Variable, very narrow to narrow on             young mature leaf, more wide on older.         -   Leaf base openness.—Variable, some leaves almost closed,             some leaves open or slightly open.         -   Apex shape.—Acute.         -   Margin.—Slightly dentate.         -   Texture upper side.—Hirsute.         -   Texture lower side.—Hirsute.         -   Leaf zonation color.—RHS 187A.         -   Color of veins, upper surface.—RHS 137A, largely indistinct.         -   Color of veins, lower surface.—RHS 144B, becoming             indistinct.         -   Pattern of veining.—Palmate.         -   Petiole color.—RHS 143B, slightly mottled close to RHS 176B.         -   Petiole length.—3.5-4.5 cm.         -   Diameter of petiole.—0.2 cm.         -   Texture.—Pilose, hirsute, glandular hairs. -   Stem:     -   -   Quantity of branches.—5-9.         -   Color of stem.—Close to RHS 143B.         -   Anthocyanin coloration of stem.—An anthocyanin coloration is             visible under solar radiation.         -   Length of stem.—7-16 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.5 cm.         -   Length of internodes.—1-4 cm.         -   Texture.—Sparsely hirsute, pilose, glandular hairs. -   Peduncle:     -   -   Color of peduncle.—RHS N186C.         -   Length of peduncle.—13-17 cm.         -   Peduncle diameter.—0.3-0.5 cm.         -   Texture.—Hirsute, glandular hairs.         -   Anthocyanin coloration of peduncle.—A strong anthocyanin             coloration is visible under high solar radiation. -   Pedicel:     -   -   Color of pedicel.—RHS 59A.         -   Length of pedicel.—2.5-3.5 cm.         -   Diameter of pedicel.—0.15-0.2 cm.         -   Texture.—Sparsely pilose, glandular hiars.         -   Pedicel swelling.—Swelling was not observed. -   Bud (just before opening):     -   -   Color.—RHS 71A.         -   Length.—1.4-1.6 cm.         -   Width.—0.7-0.8 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptical. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type.—Umbel; semi-spherical or nearly semi-spherical.         -   Lastingness of individual flowers.—7-9 days at 18° C.             temperature.         -   Number of inflorescences per plant.—6-12, with 5-12 immature             umbels in various stages.         -   Average total number of buds.—33.         -   Fragrance.—None.         -   Umbel diameter.—10-13 cm.         -   Umbel depth.—8-10 cm. -   Corolla:     -   -   Form.—Semi-double.         -   Number of petals.—7-9, 4-7 petaloids.         -   Diameter of flower.—4-5.5 cm.         -   Depth of flower.—1.5-2 cm.         -   Side view shape.—Concave.         -   Color upper petals, upper surface.—Upper half petal between             RHS N57A and RHS 67A, lower half of petal RHS 44B.         -   Color upper petals, lower surface.—Closest to RHS 67A.         -   Length of upper petals.—2-2.5 cm.         -   Width of upper petals.—1.5-2.5 cm.         -   Color lower petals, upper surface.—Between RHS N57A and RHS             67A.         -   Color lower petals, lower surface.—Closest to RHS 67A.         -   Markings on upper petals.—None.         -   Markings on lower petals.—None.         -   Length of lower petals.—2-2.5 cm.         -   Width of lower petals.—1.5-2.5 cm, petaloids variably             smaller and with variable shape.         -   Petal shape.—Obovate to spathulate.         -   Apex shape.—Rounded.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Petal texture.—Papillose on both surfaces. -   Calyx:     -   -   Number of sepals.—5.         -   Color of sepals.—RHS 144C, mottled RHS 59A.         -   Length of sepals.—1-1.4 cm.         -   Width of sepals.—0.2-0.4 cm.         -   Sepal shape.—Lanceolate to linear.         -   Apex shape.—Acute.         -   Margins.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Glabrous.         -   Lower surface.—Glandular hairs, hirsute.         -   Sepal flexing.—Mostly unflexed sepals. The narrowest sepals             might flex moderately. -   Reproductive organs: -   Gynoecium:     -   -   Pistil.—RHS N79B.         -   Length.—0.7 cm.         -   Style color.—RHS N79B.         -   Style length.—0.3 cm.         -   Stigma color.—RHS 61A.         -   Ovary color.—RHS 187A.         -   Ovary length.—0.4-0.5 cm.         -   Ovary diameter.—0.2 cm. -   Androecium:     -   -   Number of stamens.—6-9 with 1-5 staminoids.         -   Color of filaments.—Base RHS N155A apex RHS 52A.         -   Length filaments.—0.8 cm.         -   Anther color.—RHS 51B.         -   Length of anthers.—0.3 cm.         -   Color of pollen.—RHS N172A.         -   Pollen amount.—Scarce.         -   Fertility/seed set.—Has not been determined to date.         -   Disease/pest resistance.—Has not been determined to date. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Pelargonium plant named ‘PEQZ0096’ substantially as illustrated and described herein. 